crusade
[kroo-seyd]
- (often initial capital letter) any of the military expeditions undertaken by the Christians of Europe in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries for the recovery of the Holy Land from the Muslims.
- any war carried on under papal sanction.
- any vigorous, aggressive movement for the defense or advancement of an idea, cause, etc.: a crusade against child abuse.
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- to go on or engage in a crusade.
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Origin of crusade
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for crusaders
Contemporary Examples
Even though we cast ourselves as martyrs, we might be crusaders.
In a Christian landscape with so many diverse options, Pawlenty has eschewed the crusaders in favor of the consensus-builder.
The marathon-length address embraced by crusaders and cranks alike—and knew no partisan bounds.
He also warned that the “apostates” in countries like Saudi Arabia who cooperate with the “Crusaders” would be sent to hell.
They may take the moral high ground while telling others how to live, but they are not the crusaders that Spitzer was.
Historical Examples
They are said to have been brought into Europe by the Crusaders.
Woman's Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 2Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences
Crusaders of old endeavored to overthrow evil by “force and arms.”
Almost A ManMary Wood-Allen
Such, according to Tasso, was the spirit of the Swiss Crusaders.
The Counts of GruyreMrs. Reginald de Koven
After a sad farewell Ludwig rides away at the head of his Crusaders.
The Standard OratoriosGeorge P. Upton
The Crusaders seem to have learned no permanent lesson of pity.
Peter the HermitDaniel A. Goodsell
crusade
- (often capital) any of the military expeditions undertaken in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries by the Christian powers of Europe to recapture the Holy Land from the Muslims
- (formerly) any holy war undertaken on behalf of a religious cause
- a vigorous and dedicated action or movement in favour of a cause
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- to campaign vigorously for something
- to go on a crusade
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Word Origin
C16: from earlier croisade, from Old French crois cross, from Latin crux; influenced also by Spanish cruzada, from cruzar to take up the cross
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for crusaders
crusade
n.
1706, respelling of croisade (1570s), from Middle French croisade (16c.), Spanish cruzada, both from Medieval Latin cruciata, past participle of cruciare "to mark with a cross," from Latin crux (genitive crucis) "cross." Other Middle English forms were croiserie, creiserie. Figurative sense of "campaign against a public evil" is from 1786.
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crusade
v.
1732, from crusade (n.). Related: Crusaded; crusading.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper